- This event has passed.
Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival
May 24 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
$13.50
Join us May 21–24 at The Neon for four days celebrating Black women in cinema with powerful short films from around the country, our Opening Night premiere of Basement People, a free workshop at the Dayton Metro Library, a special Barbara O. tribute with legendary filmmaker Zeinabu irene Davis, and our Closing Night 30th anniversary screening of The Watermelon Woman alongside our Hometown Heroes Shorts Program 
This year is bigger, bolder, and more intentional than ever. We cannot wait to celebrate with y’all.
We’re kicking off year three of the Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival under this year’s theme, “Black women educating through film,” a reflection of the ways our stories teach, heal, and preserve culture across generations.
Join us for our Opening Night Shorts Program, featuring a curated selection of films from Black women filmmakers across the country whose voices continue to shape the future of cinema.
The evening begins with our Patio Party at 6:30 PM at THE NEON, followed by a collection of short films at 7:30 PM. The program will also feature a special hometown screening of YOU CHANGED ME, a film shot in Dayton 10 years ago by the festival’s founder, Ange Mitchell, bringing the festival full circle in both place and purpose.
Following the shorts program, we will present the Dayton premiere of award-winning filmmaker Christine Swanson’s BASEMENT PEOPLE, followed by an exclusive Q&A with the director.
Tickets – just $13.50 each – are on sale now.
Join us for our Opening Night Shorts Program, featuring a curated selection of films from Black women filmmakers across the country whose voices continue to shape the future of cinema.
The evening begins with our Patio Party at 6:30 PM at THE NEON, followed by a collection of short films at 7:30 PM. The program will also feature a special hometown screening of YOU CHANGED ME, a film shot in Dayton 10 years ago by the festival’s founder, Ange Mitchell, bringing the festival full circle in both place and purpose.
Following the shorts program, we will present the Dayton premiere of award-winning filmmaker Christine Swanson’s BASEMENT PEOPLE, followed by an exclusive Q&A with the director.
Tickets – just $13.50 each – are on sale now.
The Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival continues at THE NEON on Saturday, May 23. Following the workshop with the Dayton Metro Library, we invite you into a truly unforgettable cinematic experience rooted in this year’s theme, “Black women educating through film.”
Celebrate the 35th anniversary of A POWERFUL THANG alongside a special screening of Julie Dash’s THE DIARY OF AN AFRICAN NUN, brought together for a powerful tribute to Dayton’s own BarbaraO and legendary filmmaker Zeinabu Irene Davis, who will be joining us as a special guest.
This is a rare opportunity to witness these films in conversation with one another, honoring legacy, place, and the deep roots of Black cinema right here in Ohio.
Film Synopsis – A POWERFUL THANG
A couple anticipates their first sexual experience together, where longing, curiosity, and vulnerability unfold throughout the course of a single day. As anticipation builds, it becomes its own language—an art form of desire, care, and intention. Centered on a single mother re-entering dating and a jazz musician, the film gently explores safe sex, emotional connection, and the sacredness of Black love and intimacy with tenderness and honesty.
Film Synopsis – THE DIARY OF AN AFRICAN NUN
Adapted from Alice Walker’s short story, this meditative and poetic film explores faith, inner conflict, and identity through the quiet but powerful inner world of a nun grappling with her sense of self and purpose.
One Saturday in Afro-Ohio. Only at the Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival!
Tickets are just $13.50 each – on sale now.
Celebrate the 35th anniversary of A POWERFUL THANG alongside a special screening of Julie Dash’s THE DIARY OF AN AFRICAN NUN, brought together for a powerful tribute to Dayton’s own BarbaraO and legendary filmmaker Zeinabu Irene Davis, who will be joining us as a special guest.
This is a rare opportunity to witness these films in conversation with one another, honoring legacy, place, and the deep roots of Black cinema right here in Ohio.
Film Synopsis – A POWERFUL THANG
A couple anticipates their first sexual experience together, where longing, curiosity, and vulnerability unfold throughout the course of a single day. As anticipation builds, it becomes its own language—an art form of desire, care, and intention. Centered on a single mother re-entering dating and a jazz musician, the film gently explores safe sex, emotional connection, and the sacredness of Black love and intimacy with tenderness and honesty.
Film Synopsis – THE DIARY OF AN AFRICAN NUN
Adapted from Alice Walker’s short story, this meditative and poetic film explores faith, inner conflict, and identity through the quiet but powerful inner world of a nun grappling with her sense of self and purpose.
One Saturday in Afro-Ohio. Only at the Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival!
Tickets are just $13.50 each – on sale now.
The Dayton Black Women’s Film Festival’s third year will close on May 24. We close out the festival with a powerful reflection of this year’s theme, “Black women educating through film,” by honoring a work that forever shifted the landscape of independent cinema.
The evening will begin with our Hometown Heroes Shorts Program, featuring three local Black women filmmakers whose films are competing for a $500 scholarship award, highlighting the next generation of storytellers right here in our community.
Following the shorts program, join us for the 30th anniversary screening of Cheryl Dunye’s THE WATERMELON WOMAN, a film that boldly redefined narrative, authorship, and the archive for Black and queer cinema. As one of the first feature films directed by a Black lesbian filmmaker, its impact continues to resonate across generations. Film Synopsis – THE WATERMELON WOMAN: “Blending fiction and documentary, the film follows a young Black filmmaker researching a forgotten Black actress from 1930s Hollywood, uncovering hidden histories while navigating her own identity, love life, and artistic voice.”
Closing Night is about honoring legacy, reclaiming history, and celebrating the stories that continue to educate, challenge, and inspire. A perfect ending to a weekend rooted in community, culture, and the power of Black women in film. Tickets just $13.50 – on sale now.
The evening will begin with our Hometown Heroes Shorts Program, featuring three local Black women filmmakers whose films are competing for a $500 scholarship award, highlighting the next generation of storytellers right here in our community.
Following the shorts program, join us for the 30th anniversary screening of Cheryl Dunye’s THE WATERMELON WOMAN, a film that boldly redefined narrative, authorship, and the archive for Black and queer cinema. As one of the first feature films directed by a Black lesbian filmmaker, its impact continues to resonate across generations. Film Synopsis – THE WATERMELON WOMAN: “Blending fiction and documentary, the film follows a young Black filmmaker researching a forgotten Black actress from 1930s Hollywood, uncovering hidden histories while navigating her own identity, love life, and artistic voice.”
Closing Night is about honoring legacy, reclaiming history, and celebrating the stories that continue to educate, challenge, and inspire. A perfect ending to a weekend rooted in community, culture, and the power of Black women in film. Tickets just $13.50 – on sale now.
